Guidelines in Pennsylvania

Voter Registration Requirements

You need to have been a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.

You need to be a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which you want to register and vote for at least 30 days before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.

You need to be 18 or older on Election Day.

PA's Voter ID law requires individuals to submit proof of identification at the polling place in order to vote. The law defines proof of identification as a photo ID issued by the US Government, the Commonwealth of PA, a PA care facility, a municipality to an employee or a PA higher education institution. The ID must have an expiration date and not be expired unless it is a PA driver's license (which can be expired by up to one year) or a military ID.

Don't forget -- your state may have additional ID requirements when you go to the polls.

If you have additional questions about voting in Pennsylvania, please contact: Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation: (717)-787-5280; RA-BCEL@state.pa.us

Registration Deadline

Postmarked by: 30 days before Election Day.

Felony Information

Under Pennsylvania law, if you have been convicted of a felony, you may not register or vote if you are incarcerated, but you may register and vote while you are on probation or parole. For more information, visit VotesPA, Pennsylvania's online voting information and resource center.

Information for Students

You must be a resident of the state in which you register and vote. If you're a student from Pennsylvania who attends school in another state, you may need to determine whether you're a Pennsylvania resident or a resident of the state where you attend school. The important thing to keep in mind is that you may only cast your vote in one state.

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Here's what Pennsylvania says about residency: Your residence is the fixed place where you live and to which, whenever absent, you intend to return. You do not have residence in a place where you have come for temporary purposes only and without the intention of making it your home. Pennsylvania law explicitly gives students the right to register to vote where they live while attending college.

If you determine you're a Pennsylvania resident, but will not be present in this state or will be away from your home district on Election Day, be sure to check the absentee ballot application requirements and deadlines. In addition, Pennsylvania residents who attend school in-state, but in a different election district, may be eligible to register and vote in the election district where they live while attending school.

To determine whether you're a resident of a different state where you attend school, be sure to check that state's residency requirements.

Identification Information

First-time voters must show proof of identification. A photo ID is not required. Approved forms of ID include ONE of the following:

Pennsylvania driver's license, or

U.S. passport, or

U.S. Armed Forces ID, or

Student ID, or

Employee ID, or

Current utility bill, or

Current bank statement, or

Current paycheck, or

Non-photo ID must show the voter's name and address.

Same Day Registration

No

Early Voting Information

If you can't make it to the polls on Election Day, you can vote early in person or by mail if you meet certain requirements. The deadline to request your absentee ballot is 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election, and your ballot must be returned by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day.

You can vote early by absentee ballot if you meet ANY ONE of the following requirements:

In the military service of the United States, regardless of whether at the time of voting you are present in the election district of residence or in the commonwealth and regardless of whether you are registered to vote; or

A spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person in the military service of the United States and expect on Election Day to be absent from your municipality of residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.); or

A member of the Merchant Marine or a spouse or dependent residing with or companying the Merchant Marine, who expects on Election Day to be absent from the commonwealth or the municipality of residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.); or

A member of a religious or welfare group attached to and serving with the armed forces or a spouse or dependents residing with or accompanying him or her, who expect on Election Day to be absent from the commonwealth or the municipality of residence during the entire period i which the polling places are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.); or

An individual who, because of the elector's duties, occupation or business (including leaves of absence for teaching, vacations, and sabbatical leaves), expects on Election Day to be absent from your municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting or the spouse and dependents of such electors who are residing with or accompanying the elector and for that reason also expect to be absent from your municipality during the entire period the polls are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.); or

A qualified war veteran elector who is bedridden or hospitalized due to illness or physical disability if you are absent from the municipality of your residence and unable to attend your polling place because of such illness or disability, regardless of whether you are registered to vote; or

A person who, because of illness or physical disability, is unable to attend your polling place or to operate a voting machine and obtain assistance by distinct and audible statements (Note: A disabled elector may be placed on a permanently disabled absentee file); or

A spouse or dependent accompanying a person employed by the commonwealth or the federal government, in the event that the employee's duties, occupation or business on Election Day require him/her to be absent from the Commonwealth or the municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.); or

A county employee who expects that his Election Day duties relating to the conduct of the election will prevent you from voting; or

A person who will not attend a polling place on Election Day because of the observance of a religious holiday